


Hope Anchors the Soul

by FeartheCavalreaper



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Ancestors, F/F, F/M, Past Sexual Abuse, Physical Abuse, not sure yet - Freeform, summfang
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-04
Updated: 2015-08-12
Packaged: 2018-04-12 21:29:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4495395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeartheCavalreaper/pseuds/FeartheCavalreaper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I've been bored in class and started writing a bit of a summfang fic. I'm not sure how long it will be, but seeing as I'm only in my second year of school, I will be writing this for a while.<br/>You, Rufioh, have grown to know a cruel world with tales of revolution from the past hovering in your mind. You're gaining popularity, a nickname even traveling with tales of your words hovering around camps and groups of trolls. Hope is all you have. And it's true. Hope does anchor the soul. Without it, why would a rust-blood even consider sticking around just to die for the Empress on her command?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hope Anchors the Soul

     You prayed for the best. That you could defeat the Empress, save some grubs from having to serve her, and know that rust-bloods and the like wouldn’t have to die as her disposable soldiers. Enough is enough. Many of your friends in the camps died after being taken to serve her military. As a mutant, your lusus made you wrap your wings back, under your shirt. When you could, you would fly out at night, hanging around creatures in the forest. You learned you could converse with them and even control them. Something that helped whenever a creature considered you their next meal.

  
     Cavalreapers on your camp know. Your wings are legendary and some of them have seen you call all sorts of beasts to camp. The tales have traveled amongst the lower bloods. Trolls have traveled far and wide just to speak with you. They pledged their loyalty to you and even call you the Summoner for your ability to bring trolls and creatures towards you. You’ve laughed at the name, but you have found pride in it.

  
     You know there is talk of revolution around your name. It scares you, but you hope to make them proud one day. You hope that with the spread of your name, trolls are willing to do what it takes to win one day. Tonight, you’re flying home to try and take a break from them though.

  
     When your boots touch down on the deck, it’s a lot louder than you know is safe. Your body tenses and you find yourself unable to move. You recognize the cold in the back of your mind as a type of psychic power. All you wanted was a place to rest before you finished your journey to your hive. You damn yourself for not being quieter when you touched down. This could have been avoided.


	2. One Hell of a Rest Stop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All you wanted was a place to rest. You never imagined something like this.

            “State your business. Be warned, I will know if you lie to me.” Her voice is stern as she forces you to your knees. When she steps out from the shadows, your stomach drops. Legends, tall tales of her past always seem to come up at camp fires and dinner circles. A ruthless pirate, responsible for the deaths of Neophyte Redglare and possibly the Orphaner Dualscar or so it’s rumored. Neither could be confirmed. Recent tales claimed she was killing high bloods for sport.

            “J-just a place to rest.” You hate when you stutter. It’s only when you’re nervous and you hate how weak it makes you feel. She’s prodding your thoughts for truth and if you are hiding anything else. “N-never thought I’d ever come across a bed time story.” You know better, but you can’t stop yourself. You feel a hand on your wing and begin to panic. As a young troll, kids pulled on them and your lusus pushed you to hide the mutation. Sure, you learned to use your personality to overpower the curiosity, but anyone who touched them now respected them like a symbol of your ideology. Your wings were respected and those who touched them respected you.

            You are fairly certain that Marquise Spinneret Mindfang does not respect you.

            “A mutant…” She examines your wings, but her tone shows more awe than disgust. You pray it is a good thing. “What is your name?” She stands in front of you, lifting your chin. Your eyes meet hers for the first time.

            “Rufioh.” You bite your tongue. You try not to say anything that could get you killed this time. Calling her a bedtime story was your first mistake and you’re struggling to not make another one. Her eye moved between yours and you feel control return to you.

            “I don’t do well with unwanted visitors on my ship.” She steps back, looking over you as you stand back up. _I don’t do well with high bloods._ Your eyes are fixed on her nervously. She has the upper hand no matter what you do right now. “If you do not leave the deck, you may rest here I suppose. You will remain under my supervision though.”

            You eye her nervously, nodding. “That would be appreciated.” You try to relax and take a deep breath. “I’m sorry if I’ve disturbed you. I’m making a long journey and it’s hard when you know there’s nowhere to land…” Your wings beat lightly, something you have a hard time controlling when you’re under pressure like this. You sit slowly on the deck, leaning slightly against the railing. Her heels click loudly as she seems to examine you. You feel trapped and you hate it. Wings have been a source of freedom, but there is no way you’re ready to fly off again. Not yet.

            “I assure you, I’m far more reasonable than you believe, Rufioh. Just understand that I must keep my crew safe. That is my priority. You can relax.” She’s looking over you as if you’re guilty of something. She seems defensive around you, yet curious. She wants you to trust her. You know better.

            “Your hospitality is noted, Captain.” You speak softly. You know better than to assert dominance here. From your knowledge, high bloods see an attempt at dominance as insolence. You would like to survive tonight. You’re a little curious yourself. She’s looking you over with so many emotions, it’s as though she knows something you don’t.

            “Relax for now. I’ll have something prepared for you to eat. Welcome aboard the Arachnid’s Grip.” She smiled before calling over a young troll. He respects her based on his walk and the way he listens to her as she mutters something to him. When he heads below deck, she looks as though she wants to speak to you and something is preventing her from opening up in any way.

            “Thank you,” you say as you monitor her behavior. “You don’t seem much like any high blood I’ve ever met.” She knows your blood caste from the wings. It’s hard to hide it, but she seems to smile at the notion. As she leans on the railing, looking out to sea, she seems to relax a little.

            “You’d be surprised how different from high bloods I can be.” She smirks before closing her eyes. She’s remembering something special it seems. “The tales go around and trolls fear me. No one knows any of the real details, but the stories do keep trolls from wanting to come after me. Have you ever wondered how a legendary ship is run, Rufioh?”

            The question surprises you and you think for a moment, weighing the ideas. Legend says she’s never been caught by sea. She’s known for her ship, her kills, and the skillful way she always seems to escape any situation. No high blood compares when the legends are told. The only legends you ever seem to hear are hers and those of the mutant blood who died many sweeps ago. The Sufferer’s tale is always kept quiet in case a high blood comes by and accuses the teller of treason. “Enlighten me.” You’ve been welcomed here. Why not take advantage of the opportunity?

            “My ship is special.” She speaks fondly of it. As though she’s never known any other life. And with her blood, you suppose she hasn’t for a very long time. “My crew is the best of the best.” She’s filled with pride, eyes moving to glance over the stairs that you assume lead to the galley. “They have chemistry. Loyalty. And I am loyal to them in return.” She smiles and looks at you. “You say I’m a bedtime story, but I assure you, stories like that aren’t built on broken backs or beaten down slaves.”

            You’re impressed. Either she’s trying to appeal to you, or she’s legitimately telling you something you’re sure has never left her ship. You keep your mind focused, in case she intends on making sure these facts don’t leave her ship. You are, however, moved by the notion. “Your legends never mention that.”

            “A tight ship is built on a good crew, Rufioh. Talented shipmates. These trolls know how to fire a cannon, sail faster than any ship you’ve ever seen, and remain hidden when needed.” She smiles. “No ship will ever defeat me with slaves.” You reflect on these words in silence. You respect her and give her the benefit of the doubt. You don’t think she plans on harming you from how she speaks. You hope you’re right. You pray she can be trusted. Moving back onto your feet, you step towards her. You’re intrigued and you respect her morals so far.

            The young troll from earlier returns with a tray of food. Stopping before Mindfang, she smiles and ruffles his hair lightly. Upon closer inspection, you notice his ears. “A higher blood?” He’s a sea dweller of some kind and you’re fairly shocked a young troll of a higher caste would serve a cerulean blood on her ship. Hell, you’re surprised a sea dweller would serve anyone other than the Empress as this point.

            “He wants to earn his status. He may be a high blood, but he believes he’s done nothing worthy of power. If anyone fears him in his future, he will earn it. He’ll prove his strength and abilities and be feared for what he can do. Not what they assume he can do. Isn’t that right, Favian?” The troll, perhaps eight to ten sweeps old, is nodding excitedly.  He’s happy and you hope that one day, all trolls will learn to earn their titles and their place in the world. Grubs would do well to learn that blood will never indicate talent. A mustard blood is more than capable of being more powerful than a jade or teal blood. No one has ever given out that opportunity though.

            “I’m sure you’ll be great one day, Favian.” You smile at him and you can feel your body is relaxed now. She’s making wonderful conversation and you’re surprised she’s willing to talk with you rather than eliminate the threat of a mutant. When she nods to Favian, he smiles and heads back down to the galley where you now recognize the sound of trolls being merry below the deck. “He’s impressive, Mindfang. Young and intelligent.”

            “He doesn’t care much for blood color and he’s talented. He was the cook’s cabin boy when he first arrived, but I’ve decided he’s more capable than I thought. He’s my personal cabin boy now and tends to things I might need rather than the cook. It lets him learn firsthand as well.” She seems very fond of him for such a young troll.

            “So is he… special?” You smirk playfully. He’s far too young for her. You imagine you know her answer and the look on her face is enough for you. You chuckle at her mild disgust. As a sea dweller, he’s not even likely to reach his adult molt for another ten to fifteen sweeps. Your life span is opposite. As a low blood with an expectancy of maybe sixty sweeps, you had your adult molt at fourteen sweeps. Physically, she doesn’t even look much older than you.

            “Heavens no.” She shudders at the thought. “I’ve been… waiting for someone.” She seems nervous about the idea. Reflecting on it, she seems to be recalling a fond memory. Either this quadrant mate has died or she’s been waiting for a long time. She’s been lonely.

            “You make it sound like you already know who they are or they’ve died and you’re waiting to join them.” The idea of her loving anyone is so odd to consider compared to everything you believed prior to your arrival. Then again, with all the surprises you’ve had in a few minutes of conversation, you feel as though she deserves something wonderful if she’s waited so long for whoever this troll might be.

            “He’ll find me. It’s fate if you believe in that. A long time ago, I had some wonderful experiences with an oracle. I’ve known for a long time that he will come for me.” She smiles and tosses her hair back and a thought crosses your mind.

            She’s kind of… beautiful? Hot. You shake the thought or try to. You’re not even sure why you finally looked over the entirety of her and suddenly realized just how attractive you find her. “I hope he finds you soon, then. You sound as though you know he’ll be worth it and I hope he is.” You’re amazed by the dedication in her voice as she speaks of whoever he is. She smiles at you again and you look away. Women have never been your strong suit. She laughs softly.

            “Are you alright, Rufioh?” She offers you a glass of water and a piece of food from Favian’s tray. You nod and graciously take a few morsels before looking out to sea.

            “You’re nothing like I’ve ever imagined. Rumors and tall tales make you out to be cold. Heartless.” You feel awful for calling her out like this. She doesn’t match the name she’s built for herself. She doesn’t match her reputation and you want to know more about her.

            “My legends keep me safe. Would you openly pursue a murderous pirate?” She seems as though she’s standing closer to you than before. You shake your head, chuckling. Perhaps you should instigate dangerous rumors about yourself. Keep trolls from pursuing you. Then again, dangerous low bloods are always killed before they can do anything dangerous to society. She smiles, resting a hand on yours to bring you back to conversation. “So where are you headed? You’ve been traveling for a while I imagine if you were looking for a place to rest in the middle of the sea. I’m sorry if I startled you when you landed, but a visitor landing on my ship isn’t something I’d let slide.”

            You debate telling her the truth. Your hive is fairly far and hidden compared to the places you’ve been living. “I have business to attend to.” It isn’t a lie. You have things to take care of at home and need to be away from the potential revolution growing under your belt. “You’re a curious pirate, Captain.” You’re a curious cavalreaper yourself, but you’re not willing to discuss that. You register how close she’s standing to you again and you can’t help but look her over some more. Her lips are covered in cerulean lipstick and you catch yourself staring at her lips for a moment before you swallow hard. Taking another bite of the food in your hand, you’re impressed. Good food isn’t something you’re used to coming across. Especially not at sea.

            “Business?” She eats as well before pacing lightly. “You can keep your private information. I just find your timing odd. Of all things, crossing the ocean? When you make your return trip, be sure to rest with us again. I can ensure that you’ll be welcome and you won’t be barging in on any potentially dangerous ships.” She seems interested in you in general, but she could be playing around. You’re finding your eyes wandering over the curves of her jacket and the sultry tones in her voice. You’re either developing a crush or you’re getting tired despite resting. You’re slightly hoping it’s the latter.

            “If you like, sure. I’d appreciate a safe place to rest than finding out the hard way if a ship is safe or not.” You want to say it. Just say it. Don’t say it. “You’re far more beautiful than legends ever mention.” Why? Why did you open your stupid mouth? You can feel the bronze rushing to your cheeks. The statement also doesn’t seem to faze her until you see the light cerulean in her cheeks in return.

            She looks away when she speaks again. “You’re not bad yourself.” You smile. “How are your wings feeling? I’m sorry if I was rough with them earlier.” She seems genuine. You’re curious about her. A loud bang interrupts your thoughts and she turns around alarmed by the sound. A cannon. Her crew rushes on deck, yelling as they pull cannons out and fire back. Another ship is sailing towards hers and shooting. “Can you fight?” Her eyes are wide, pleading for help. She’s not ready for a fight right now. She’s been talking with you for at least an hour it seems. You nod, the butterflies that were in your stomach fading as you place your hand on your lance. She smiles at your eagerness to help. “How good is your flying?”

            “The best. Tell me what you need and I have your back. I owe you this much tonight.” Your excitement is showing as your wings begin to beat and you find your boots have lost contact with the deck itself.

            “Tear through their sails and I’ll have my crew ensure we sail away as quickly as we can. As soon as you rip through them, they won’t be able to pursue us. No one has to die tonight.” You’re amazed by her intention to prevent a full battle. She skipped the idea of returning fire and went straight to protecting her crew. “They’re not prepared to fight tonight. And Rufioh?” She looks up at you and you find yourself able to calm down enough to regain contact with the deck. She steps in close and kisses your lips softly. “Return safely.” She smirks and you’re fairly certain the shock on your face is beyond obvious. She touches your hand lightly before you take to the skies. “I believe in you.”

            You nod, the bronze in your cheeks is grossly evident. Taking to the skies as quickly as you can, you ready your lance and make sure you come from high above them, ensuring they never see you coming.

            Their ship is filled with low bloods in tattered clothes and high bloods with whips. You feel anger surge through your veins and you make sure to rip their sails quickly and efficiently. They won’t be moving for a long time. You smirk, looking over your handiwork before glaring down at the crew on the ship. “Do not pursue the ship. If I see you chase her again, I will make sure that your ship never reaches shore again.” You hate the anger in your voice, but you know it makes your passionate about your cause. When you arrive back at the Arachnid’s Grip, her crew cheers and you smile. She steps out to you and the crew quiets down.

            “Rufioh. Thank you for your assistance. You have proven yourself trustworthy and you are welcome here anytime you need. We are in your debt tonight.” The crew cheers again and she waits for them to quiet back down. “Once we sail far enough away, you are all welcome to resume your partying on the deck with our guest.” The crew salutes their captain with a level of respect you’ve never seen before and you take all her words to heart. They truly are loyal to her and she is just as loyal to them. Within minutes, they break apart and ensure that the ship sails as quickly as possible so they can enjoy the rest of their time.

            Your eyes follow her as she heads to what appears to be her captain’s quarters. Before she can open the door, you grab her hand. “Mindfang.” She turns around, looking up at you and you feel your stomach begin to twist nervously. You start to stutter again, not even sure what word you want to come out.

            “Yes?” Her voice is low, seductive in your opinion. You want to kiss her this time. Your eyes are on her lips as you continue to stutter and struggle to speak. Her gaze is bouncing between your eyes. Your gaze is watching her lips curve into a smile as she seems to lean closer to you and you can’t breathe. Rolling her eyes, she grabs you by your shirt collar and your lips meet hers again. When your lips part, struggle to breathe. Her tongue runs across her lower lip before you hear her whispering.

            “Everything alright?” She whispers and you nod slightly. You’re terribly confused and you say the first thing that comes to mind.

            “I thought you were waiting on someone.” Your voice is low, whispering. You’re nervous. She was so passionate about whoever she was speaking of earlier and you don’t want her to step away. If she’s waiting for someone and she received her information from an oracle, you know this is pointless.

            “I am.” You nod, a heavy sigh escaping your lips. “You took your damn time about it too.” She kisses you again before it clicks that she’s waited sweeps and sweeps just for you.


	3. What is trust to a pirate?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What do you mean you spent all this time waiting for me D:

            She didn’t lie. Not once. She said he would find her. You did. You’re nervous. She makes you nervous. She has that mystery in her voice when she speaks to you like she still knows things you don’t know. She makes you nervous because she knew it was you when she said she was waiting for someone. Your mind races and you realize your arm is already around her waist, as if you want to protect her and you’re not quite sure why.

            “Me?” Your voice cracks when you say it. You, for whatever reason, wonder if perhaps you have drawn the wrong conclusion from her words. When she smiles, you close your eyes in an attempt to process everything and relax. Her arms are on your shoulders with her hands laced behind your head. Her fingers brush against your hair, sending shivers down your spine. “How long?”

            “How long have I known? Tonight? Or since the oracle told me?” She’s speaking softly to you. Her voice is husky, as if she’s already infatuated with you and yet your voice cracks every time you speak now or your voice ends up so low, you’re surprised she heard you. You wonder how the chemistry between you could change so quickly.

            “Tonight.” You want to know. You need to know when she recognized her. You wonder if she knows more than she’s telling. You need to know if she knows more about you or more about your supposed future with her. Your eyes meet hers and you realized every moment has been spent with you anxiously holding your breath.

            “Your wings give it away.” She smiles and her fangs glint at you. You want to kiss her again but you’re also anxious because she could be playing you for a fool. You nod quietly. “I knew you’d have wings and it’s not exactly a common mutation.” She goes from a smile to biting her lip. Those fangs of hers are digging lightly into her lips and you’re feeling a little dizzy. Is… is she nervous?

            You didn’t think she could get nervous based on your interactions thus far. You want her to calm down and you want to calm down too. Your mind is racing so you go with your first instinct. You’re drawn to her, so you kiss her again. “Slow down, lover boy.” She laughs softly. “I’m not going anywhere.” You smile and find her laugh inspiring. You’ve never heard a sound that could make you smile like this. It seems to hit her that you’re both standing outside her cabin and in the open. Some of the crew members are watching curiously. The Captain has never been affectionate with anyone like this. Pulling away, you feel a light disappointment in your stomach. She opens the door and welcomes you in. Ducking your head, you manage to enter.

            Once inside, she smiles and invites you to sit on the bed. You accept. As ecstatic as you are, you’re anxious. She removes her coat and hangs it on the back of the door. You look away, shy. She laughs at you, not intending to insult you. She’s excited to meet you and it seems she can’t hide it. She’s beautiful.

            “You waited sweeps to meet me?” You recall the sadness in her voice earlier. You feel guilty for leaving her waiting. You’re aware there is nothing you could have done. You met when you were supposed to. There was no way for you to find her sooner or prevent her from waiting for you. Your voice is barely audible when you ask her the question.

            “I’ve kept myself busy.” She’s changing clothes and you’re blushing. You can hear the clothing hit the floor and the blush in your cheeks is getting brighter. You can feel the blood rushing and your eyes are still shut tight. You can’t see her. She, however, sees how nervous you are and frowns. You hear her boots clicking. She’s walking over to you and you suddenly sit up straight. Her hand is in your hair, running down the back of your head. You can feel the skin there tingling at her touch. “Don’t be afraid, Rufioh.” She whispers to you. “I have no plans to hurt you, no desire to.”

            You shiver as her breath hits your ear. She’s biting her lip, hoping that you’ll trust her. This is her first try at something red. You don’t know if you can trust her, but you want to like nothing else. The feelings are overwhelming. She’s anxious. She’s waited for so long. She wants to know you and you’re curious about her. Your instincts keep reminding you she’s still a high blood. “You can’t rush this, Mindfang.” You don’t want to offend her. You don’t want to hurt her. “If what you say is true, it will happen. Just… give me time.” You can’t deny how attracted to her you are. You open your eyes and she’s leaning over you in her lingerie. She kisses your forehead lightly.

            “You’re right.” Her knee is on the bed and she’s moving to straddle you. You swallow hard. “Take all the time you need.” She speaks gently as one hand cups your cheek. “I’ve waited a long time. I can wait a little more.” When she realizes you’ve opened your eyes, she blushes slightly. You, on the other hand, blush a lot more than slightly. She’s stunning and you’re staring a lot longer than intended. Her lingerie is black, lacy, and it clings to her skin in a way that makes you bite your lip. “Do you like what you see?” The smirk on her lips makes it hard to breathe. She lifts your chin so your eyes meet hers.

            Your mind is racing. You’ve never felt like this before and it terrifies you. She offers to let you take your time, but this far from the time you requested. She kisses your lips and you moan lightly at her tongue running over your lip. This is lust, but this lust is stronger than anything you’ve ever felt. This lust pulls achingly at your emotions because of how drawn to her you are. When she parts the kiss, you look back down to hide the bronze in your cheeks. For the first time, you notice scars that run up and down her torso next to her grub scars and all the way up to her bra. When you run a finger across one of them, she pulls away quickly.

            “Mindfang…” Your voice cracks and she looks vulnerable in ways you never thought were possible. You grab her hand before she moves too far from you. The Marquise Spinneret Mindfang is far from vulnerable. Somehow, she’s standing before you and you know she’s terrified of something. She is your equal. When she looks at you, you lift her hand to your lips and kiss it gently. She smiles. You hope she understands.

            “The crew wants to party with you. Don’t disappoint them, Rufioh.” She squeezes your hand gently and you nod. Exiting the room as she gets dressed, you find the crew drinking. Upon your entrance, they cheer and thank you for your help. Favian serves you drinks and tells you tales that make you laugh harder than you had in a long time. While the legends on land are impressive, the tales you are told tonight tell you how imperfect the crew is. They’re talented, but have clumsy moments. Several tell you tales where they attempted to board another ship for pillaging but ended up in the water below. Later, the crew is dancing as others play instruments around a small fire they’ve managed to set up in a barrel.

            “Enjoying yourself?” She whispers in your ear and you smile. Her hand is on your shoulder and your hand on hers.

            “I was wondering if the Captain parties with her crew.” You turn to her and she accepts a drink from Favian herself. Her face is glowing under the light of the dancing flames and you make a decision. You invite her to sit on your lap. She smirks, running her tongue teasingly over one of her fangs. Sliding into your lap, you instinctively wrap an arm around her waist again. Looking down at her, she seems relaxed and comfortable. You struggle to not be nervous with her.

            As the night goes on, she curls up against you. You even dance with her and it feels so natural to you that it’s almost bizarre. You hate dancing.  When the sun begins to rise, the crew heads below deck and Mindfang is fast asleep in your lap. Your jagged teeth reveal a smile as you chuckle lightly. You nod to Favian that you will take care of her.

            “Mindfang, wake up.” You nudge her lightly. She groans and buries her face into your neck. With a sigh, you pick her up like a bridge and bring her back to her quarters. You gently place her on the bed, but she clings to you tightly. Your mind wanders, curious if she waited for you and you alone. Did she take lovers while she waited for you? You find it clearly evident that she dropped her guard around you. Did she ever trust anyone else like this? She still won’t release her grip on you. With a sigh of resignation, you sit on her bed and she places her head on your lap. You remove her hat and place it on her nightstand.

            She sleeps soundly. Eventually, you decide to rest beside her. She curls up on your chest again and you’re not sure why, but you kiss her forehead. She smiles at the sensation and you close your eyes. You rest easier than you have in sweeps. This woman is having the strangest effect on you. You decide you might be okay with that before drifting off.

 


End file.
